


Coming Together

by GlowingMechanicalHeart



Series: Fictober20 [26]
Category: Pushing Daisies
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crushes, F/M, Getting Together, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27205360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlowingMechanicalHeart/pseuds/GlowingMechanicalHeart
Summary: Ned the pie maker, rushes out Olive’s apartment when jealousy hits him again, and reminds him of the times when Olive used to look at him the same way she does Randy now.
Relationships: Charlotte "Chuck" Charles/Ned, Emerson Cod & Ned, Ned/Olive Snook
Series: Fictober20 [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1974964
Kudos: 8
Collections: Fictober20





	Coming Together

**Author's Note:**

> Written for fictober-event, prompt #29. “back up!”

It’s been seven days, ten hours, fifteen minutes and twenty-two seconds since The Darling Mermaids Darlings have left for their world tour, taking Alive Again Avenger Charlotte Charles with them. And Ned the pie maker was feeling lonely.

He had let Charlotte go, out of his love for her and her promise to return. But now, as he baked another strawberry and rhubarb crumb pie, he felt the loneliness set in. Emerson Cod was spending time with his daughter, putting a small pause to their investigations and Olive Snook had opened her restaurant and was dating Randy Mann. And he was alone. His only comfort was Digby, but even then, it was a cold comfort he couldn’t touch.

So, he just kept busy with his pies and tried to be happy for his friends and not miss Charlotte too much.

It was on the tenth day, that he walked into the Intrepid Cow and sat on a boot. Olive spotted him almost immediately, “Jimminy Cricket, Ned. I’m glad you’re here,” she said as she slid opposite him, her smile ever present and it was like a balm to his soul. “What’s cooking, good looking?”

Ned gave her a small smile, “Just here to support your cooking endeavors.”

Olive’s smile grew at him. “Have you seen anything you like? I’ll bring it out for you, on the house. For the support.”

Ned had not paid attention to the menu, so he said, “Why don’t you surprise me, as long as it doesn’t have meat, I’ll be fine.”

Olive nodded and slid out the boot, “I have just the thing.” She said and hurried back to the kitchen, Ned watched her leave with some sort of reluctance. He missed her presence at the Pie Hole, he’d never realized how much he had grown to count on her being there. Thing he had realized the moment she no longer was. Or how much he actually missed her outside of it. Most of her time she was busy with The Intrepid Cow and Randy Mann. And Ned felt the rush of jealousy again.

It didn’t take long for her to place a bubbling plate in front of Ned. “Three cheese and cauliflower sauce, with vegetarian bacon bits – breathe Ned, they’re soy, and spinach. Enjoy!”

And Ned did, they sat together at the boot while Ned ate his food and talked. Another spike of longing shot through him and he did his best to crush it. He loved Charlotte and Olive was with Randy. But he took some comfort and reminded himself that he wasn’t entirely alone. His friends where there, they were simply busy with their lives.

Ned managed it until he was back in his apartment and missed the presence of Charlotte Charles more keenly. He went to sleep early. That night, he dreamt of Charlotte saying goodbye with sad, sorrowful eyes.

Ned throws himself at his work and pretends to be fine. He speaks with Charlotte every so often, visits Olive at her place from time to time, to remind himself that he’s fine. Problem is, Randy is always there. And for the first time, he wishes that Randy wasn’t.

Ned the pie maker, rushes out Olive’s apartment when jealousy hits him again, and reminds him of the times when Olive used to look at _him_ the same way she does Randy now.

Life continues like that for a month.

The facts are these, it’s only after a month that Emerson Cod goes back to work, and thus, so do Ned and Olive. Emerson takes one look at him and knows. It’s like he stared at Ned’s soul and discerned the mysteries that escape even him. “Do not,” he says with surprising sternness. “Try anything with Itty bitty unless you mean it.”

Ned, gapes and is thoroughly offended. “I wouldn’t!”

“See that you don’t.”

They solve three murders that month.

It’s been four months, seven days, nine hours and six seconds since her departure, when Charlotte Charles apologizes, tells him to move on, she’s fallen in love with travel and now, that’s all she wants to do. Specially now, that she has the chance and doesn’t want him to be waiting for her, she wishes him happiness and love. Ned is numb, but wishes her the same.

Ned spends the next three days in a daze.

Another month passes and Olive and Randy’s relationship crumbles. He wants to be on the road again, she, has found a home and family here in Coeur d’ Coeurs. They part with surprising friendliness. Emerson, Olive and Ned, solve two cases the following weeks.

Randy Mann has been gone a three weeks, one day, four hours and forty seconds when Ned decided to tell Olive the truth. Which means, that he shows at her apartment with two rotten strawberries. He lifts one in his hands and Olive watches, jaw slowly dropping as the strawberry returns to its peak. “I can wake the dead?” He offers with an apologetic smile.

Olive Snook’s mind freezes, whirls into many, many different directions and then shouts, “Oh my God! Charlotte did die, didn’t she?” She gives him a look that dares him to lie to her. “That’s why she always hid from Lillian and Vivian! She told me and I didn’t believe her!”

“I’m sorry?”

Olive drops gracelessly onto her sofa. “Back up. Back the heck out, you mean to tell me that you can bring things back to life or just fruit and people?”

“Pretty much everything,” Ned pauses. “Digby. A touch brings them to life, another kills them forever.” He touches the strawberry and it rots in front of her eyes. “Sorry?”

“Digby too?!” Olive stares at Ned as if he’d grown a second head. Her mind is spinning. “You know what,” she manages to say. “I’m going to pretend that it’s fine. And maybe one day, it will.”

The facts are these, Ned leaves her alone for three days. And those days feel the longest since Charlotte left. There’s a fear that he might just lost Olive, and he’s not quite sure if he’ll handle that one well. Emerson rolls his eyes when told that Olive knows, and once again, reminds him not to hurt her. They solve a case together, Olive doesn’t join them and he feels fear creep up his spine.

Two weeks, a day, two hours and thirty seconds after the Pie maker’s confession, Olive Snook forgives him. “Just please,” she says, voice sweet as honey. “No more life altering secrets.”

Ned smiles as relief washes over him like a tidal wave, his own smile is shaky. “No more, I promise.”

The radiant look that Olive gives him, is worth it.

The facts are these, after their reconciliation, they make a return to form and solve four cases that month. The smile that Olive gives him each time they do, makes him feel better about the world.

It’s been eight months, four days, thirteen hours and fifty seconds since Alive Again Avenger Charlotte Charles left Coeur d’ Coeurs, and Ned the Pie Maker and Olive Snook sit on a boot where it all began, the Pie Hole, sharing a slice of peach pie a la mode and holding hands atop the table.

And for the first time since Chuck left, Ned feels that things are like they should be.


End file.
